- Stage town for the 4th time
- Commune in Jura (39)
- Population: 8,100 (Champagnolais and Champagnolaises)
Due to its geographical location, the “Pearl of the Jura” has generally produced Nordic skiers, such as Sylvain Guillaume, an Olympic medallist in the Nordic combined, and Quentin Fillon-Maillet, the five-time Olympic medallist in the biathlon in Beijing. The Tour first came here in 1937 for a team time trial won by the Belgian team of defending champion Sylvère Maes. In 1964, early on in his duel with Jacques Anquetil, Raymond Poulidor joined a breakaway on a stage from Champagnole to Thonon-les-Bains, forcing his arch-rival’s Saint-Raphaël team into frantic pursuit. The only finish at Champagnole, in 2020, was won by lone breakaway Søren Kragh Andersen.
